3 Tips to Find your Dream Omaha Wedding Photographer

3 Tips to Find Your Dream Omaha Wedding Photographer

And What to Watch Out For

It’s no secret that there are a lot of photographers in Omaha, Lincoln and Council Bluffs. It’s no secret that there are a lot of fantastic photographers in that bunch, and a lot of shit ones too! So how is an overwhelmed, Midwestern couple supposed to navigate all of those local photographers and choose the one that fits them and their needs best? There is a ton of criteria when trying to pick the best photographers in your area and every photographer in Omaha wants the chance to at least talk to you. Is there a way to sift through all of the wedding photographers in eastern Nebraska without going cooky? Nope. Haha, I’m just kidding, sort of. While You may not be able to vet every single photographer that works in your area, but, you can learn the best practices for vetting wedding photographers that you do contact. Here are my personal top 5 tips for finding your dream wedding photographer.

Do NOT post in Facebook groups looking for a local wedding photographer.

Pro tip: Every photographer that comments on those posts will tell you the exact same thing… “ I would love to talk to you, I am affordable and include free engagements when you book a wedding”

This is the perfect way to get immediately overwhelmed. Within minutes you will have 50, 60, 100 comments to sift through. Especially if you type something like this…

“ ISO: Photographer for my wedding. Preferably one that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, i’m on a budget.”

Sorry sweet thing, this post is sure to get you hundreds of crap comments, and the real pros are sitting back with their popcorn. It’s unfortunate, but when this is your method of finding someone to photograph a super important moment in your life, you may end up getting a migraine instead.

Many of the photographers scanning those Facebook groups are not charging sustainable rates. What does this mean? It means their business will either burn out quickly, or they will. Why do you care? That same photographer who gave you a wonderful deal for your wedding next year will….

bail on you last minute

miss important shots on the day

not give you a level of service that helps the day run smoothly ( create a timeline or even understand how a wedding day is run, causing things to become more chaotic.)

not back up your images properly and end up loosing part or all of them

won’t give you many because they were thrown through a loop when your venue changed last minute and they had no idea how to shoot in the new space and the photos came out less than great and they are embarrassed to share them with you.

2. DO, decide on a style of photography first

This can be an excellent first step to finding the photographer local to you that will be your guide and, dare I say it, friend throughout this stressful process. When you decide on the style of photography before you look at ANY local wedding photographers in your area, you get a sense of what you want before you even begin to think about pricing. This can help put wedding costs in perspective for you and give you a realistic expectations.

Where do you begin? How do you know what styles there are? You could do a simple Google search and see what pops up. You will get more traditional answers on Google that may leave you more confused than when you started. Next, you could try Instagram hashtags or Pinterest. But I feel like all of those avenues are just as confusing as anything else. I have decided to make my own, Photography Styles, post here.

The current, trendy buzz words are,

Dark and Moody - Embraces shadows, high contrast

Light and Airy - Film look, bright whites, very little contrast.

Classic - True to life colors, often uses flash, clean

Just remember, when you are deciding on a style, think beyond Instagram and think about what you want those photos to look like in 50 years.

3. Let the photo lead, but let the words guide.

Haha, what? Ok so , you ave decided on the look of the images, photos are currently leading you in the right direction. However, you need a photographer who is a true pro, someone who will alleviate the stress, not add to it. YOu both need someone who you can have fun with, be real with and be super comfortable with. This is why you need to read Instagram captions, watch their stories, read the about pages on website, etc. Get to know people BEFORE you invest thousands into their services. Wedding photography is such a personal thing, I can’t imagine working for or with someone who I don’t have a deeper connection with.

Your wedding photographer is going to be there for the most vulnerable moments on your wedding day. The person you choose to capture it all should have a calming effect on you. They should know how to direct you, what comes next, and how to diffuse small situations.

Pro tip: If the price is too good to be true, it’s a trap! Yes, there are some exceptions you will find along the way, however, unless you are ready and wiling to roll the dice and accept any consequences that come as a result, you need to know that pricing has a huge effect on the level of pro you’re talking to.

Weddings are a luxury, NOT a necessity. If you desire a professional wedding photographer who can write your timeline, guide you through the process, have fun with you, give you expert level images, help you get your images printed, keep you calm on your wedding day, protect you and your images, then you need to be ready to pay. When couples purchase my top collection it comes out to about $550 a wedding hour, then my album prices begin at $1500 and my wall art begins at a few hundred. The key to not getting lost on this journey is to ensure that you go into it know that professional photographers aren’t cheap and cheap photographers aren’t professionals.

Knowing the style you want and the level of service you expect going into it can help you narrow down the results quickly and save you a headache in the future.

If you found this helpful or have more questions please click the button below and contact me, a real, live person!

Velvet Sage Studios is proud to serve the couples and families of the Midwestern communities near Omaha, Nebraska. I provide photographer education, wedding photography and Family photography in Omaha, NE.

Velvet Sage Photography, Omaha Wedding Photographer + Family Photographer in Omaha, has been published and recognized 24 times in the following national and international publications and magazines.